Pads & Panels

Title: The Walking Dead Vol. 11: Fear the Hunters

Publisher: Image

Writer: Robert Kirkman

Artists: Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn

Rating:

Review by: Bill Jones

The Walking Dead is finally back firing on all cylinders for the first time since the Compendium. Trade #11, “Fear the Hunters” first introduces a new character, a loner preacher who has some secrets to reveal, but also a church to offer the group sanctuary, if they’re willing to trust him. The bigger conundrum, though, is a group dubbed “The Hunters,” who have been staying in the shadows and watching the group, for a gruesome purpose that Dale learns of first hand. Carl begins to cop an attitude in the new arc, and by the end of the first issue, we learn just how far he has come since the onset of the zombie apocalypse. This all follows the big revelation of Dale’s and Andrea’s children, which is one of the few things in the series that has felt a little forced, and not totally true to the characters involved. We also learn how much everyone else has changed in the way they deal with the Hunters. A solid story all around, with a great conclusion, but not without its glaring flaws. (more…)

Title: The Walking Dead Vol. 10: What We Become

Publisher: Image

Writer: Robert Kirkman

Artists: Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn

Rating:

Review by: Bill Jones

The Walking Dead Vol. 10: What We Become, continues the rebuilding process for the series, as Rick, Carl and company get rolling toward the hope of something better in Washington, D.C. The arc provides Rick the first chance to revisit his hometown since first hitting the road, and acquire another old friend for the group, with a startling revelation on the way. The trade is absolutely packed with dialogue, and the action isn’t still up to full speed, but Kirkman gives us time to learn a little bit more about the characters we’ve been following for years, as well as the newcomers. Rick struggles with the consequences of his leadership, as well as trust issues with the newcomers. “What We Become” also delves more into zombie lore, with the new company bringing their own perspective on what’s been going on, and the introduction of a “herd.” The book also ends in an Empire Strikes Back fashion, on a rather dark note setting the tone for things to come. (more…)

Title: The Walking Dead Vol. 9: Here We Remain

Publisher: Image

Writer: Robert Kirkman

Artists: Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn

Rating:

Review by: Bill Jones

Volume 9 of The Walking Dead, “Here We Remain,” is the first trade in Robert Kirkman’s zombie apocalypse series post-Compendium. As fans will know, the Compendium concludes a major arc in the series, and does so in a very definitive way that changes the situation for Rick and his son Carl drastically. As such, “Here We Remain” is sort of a rebuilding arc for the series, getting things rolling again in a new direction. First, we see Carl in the position of surviving with his injured and ill father. The duo isn’t alone for the whole series though, as they hook up with some old acquaintances, as well as a few new ones. And along with the new ones there is a promise of hope, of answers to the cause of the apocalypse and of a possible safe haven in Washington, D.C. Rick also deals with the possibility of losing his mind under the stress of recent events. Kirkman’s writing is still on, and the black-and-white art continues to be fantastic, but “Here We Remain” feels like a necessary reboot of sorts. It’s getting the ball rolling again, but it’s definitely not up to full speed. (more…)

Title: Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing

Platform: 360 (PS3, Wii, PC, DS)

ESRB: E

Publisher: Sega

Developer: Sumo Digital

Rating:

Review by: Bill Jones

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is a name that could be shortened. That’s one of the few problems it has, though. The cart racing game culls from a lesser-known stable of Sega characters, but ultimately bests the competition with a game that is the best in the cart racing genre of this generation, even beating out the latest installment of the gold standard, Mario Kart Wii. The game pulls its racers and its environments from series like Sonic the Hedgehog, Samba de Amigo, Super Monkey Ball, Jet Set Radio, The House of the Dead and Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg, so its cast, its vehicles and its tracks are quite varied. Its controls are simple, making it accessible, but its power ups and the more difficult tracks, as well as options like toggling catch-up, bring it to life for more competitive gamers online. But its power-ups are derivative of Mario Kart, simply placed in Sega skins, its speed boosts unfortunately tied to drifting, and its bonus modes horribly stunted to a few simple tracks. Still, the Sega Miles program keeps it addictive, it looks good, and for my money it’s the best cart racer of this generation, but it’s not quite Double Dash. (more…)

Title: Splinter Cell: Conviction

Platform: 360 (PC)

ESRB: M

Publisher: Ubisoft

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal

Rating:

Review by: Bill Jones

Splinter Cell: Conviction is not only the best Splinter Cell title to date, but also the most accessible entry in the covert ops series. Sam Fisher, the series’ protagonist, is old and graying, out of the game (officially) and fed up with his old agency, but that’s not stopping him from looking for answers to a series of betrayals. It’s this backdrop that allows the game to be a lot more action-oriented and less overly-complex stealth-focused as its predecessors. It’s a great balancing act Ubisoft Montreal pulls off. Those looking to shoot their way through can get through it on Normal difficulty in most instances, but skilled players employing the stealth tactics present are rewarded through a great upgrade system. The campaign is also presented in a super-stylish manner, and keep things fresh throughout. The single-player is good, but what makes Conviction great is the total package. There’s a robust co-op prologue, and a number of great “Deniable Ops” modes for extended play, such as Hunter, Infiltration, Last Stand and Face-Off, which buck recent trends by being offered both in online or split-screen modes. These modes are also created with great care, extending the Conviction experience, and allowing a friend to get in on the action with another campaign that doesn’t feel tacked on, but integral to the game. (more…)

As I write this, I have been up since 2:30 in the afternoon yesterday. It is now 8 a.m. Such is typical for me, as I haven’t really seen a “set” schedule in about 3½ years. However, it’s these types of days that really put me into a state where writing and ranting blur together and…pondering…just tends to flow. It might come across as eccentric to some, but for me it’s just par for the course.

So anyways, I’ve been kind of upside down the past couple days, and will continue to be so the next couple of days. It kind of makes it hard to really stay focused on much, especially when there’s a whole lot to be focused upon. I started watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy on Blu-ray the other day, but feel that when I’m not sleeping much that I can’t really put much attention on watching anything. It just makes me drowsy. Not to say that the Lord of the Rings movies are boring, but I could pretty much fall asleep watching anything if I stop long enough to sit still and pay attention. That’s how I got through much of the last couple of semesters at community college. Go academics! (more…)

Threadless Tees is a Chicago-based company that has taken a different approach when it comes to what they print on their apparel. Threadless’ approach is through a community of artists and fans voting on user-submitted designs. The designs go up on the website for an allotted time, and the fans vote, promote and ultimately decide what gets printed to tees, hoodies and even children’s clothing. What attracted Pads & Panels to Threadless are the many great gaming- and comic-inspired tees that have been printed over the years. The staff here at Pads & Panels recently got our hands on a couple of these relevant tees thanks to the people over at Threadless, and present our thoughts on a couple of their recent gaming and comic designs, not to mention model them for our readers. (more…)

.

Roger Ebert is one of the most renowned film critics alive. He’s an encyclopedia of film, ready to drop a reference whenever needed. No one is going to agree with everything he writes, sure, but what makes him a fantastic critic is that he works hard to support his arguments, and the background knowledge he has of the medium makes what he does special. But every once in awhile he ventures outside his realm of knowledge to make a statement, and in all likelihood to attract viewers to his blog. Ebert recently decided to slam video games in an article titled Video games can never be art. I disagreed with him, and decided to send an email telling him so. In the interest of conversation, I thought I’d repost it here as an open letter. Read his article first, then my response, and feel free to share your opinion. (more…)

Title: The Amazing Brain Train

Platform: WiiWare (PC)

ESRB: E

Publisher: NinjaBee

Developer: Grubby Games

Rating:

Review by: Sarah Kumley

The Amazing Brain Train is another title in the Professor Fizzwizzle series. The game is essentially a compilation of mini-games designed to work the brain. Each of the 15 mini-games can be placed into one of five categories, such as memory or spatial. There are three modes in which to play the mini-games. Test Mode allows the player to try a game and receive a grade. Practice Mode lets the player master any of the mini-games in either timed or untimed modes. In Quest Mode, the player meets 17 animals scattered around a map, with train tracks connecting them. Each has quests for the player to perform. The games in Quest Mode are timed and the player must complete as many puzzles correctly as possible to fuel the train along the tracks. The game is played by pointing and clicking, although a couple of puzzles can be played using directional buttons. A few extras, such as high score rankings and trophies, round out this fun and brain-busting game. (more…)

from on .

Yes, you read that right. Today, we bring to you a very special interview with 5-time Pro-Bowl Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs. But the Chicago Bears? Linebacker? Pro-Bowl? “That’s football stuff!” you proclaim. True, it is football. But Mr. Briggs also happens to be a huge comics fan. We’re not talking about “got caught on camera once looking at a Spider-Man comic” kind of a fan. We’re talking about real deal comics enthusiast. So much so that during our hometown comic convention, the inaugural Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (better known as C2E2), Briggs hosted his own “dream panel,” talking to fans as well as some of his favorite comics creators. He’s a proclaimed Top Cow fan, and the publisher actually printed a variant cover of The Darkness featuring Briggs this month. That’s the kind of comics fan we’re talking. So it was our honor to catch up with Briggs following his panel to talk about his love for the medium, as well as his newly launched , the . Bill interviewed, and Tom filmed. Go Bears!